The Descent (Taker Trilogy, #3)

by Alma Katsu

[kimbacaffeinate]

Alma Katsu took us on one heck of a ride with the Taker Trilogy and the wait for The Descent the final book in this dark paranormal romance was worth the wait. I consumed this and was left satisfied on so many levels. While not as dark as it’s predecessors we get answers and a strong conclusion. Mini review: Beautifully written with fleshed out characters and an engaging conclusion.

Lanore McIlvrae has been on the run from Adair, her creator for hundreds of years. She has loved and lost. When terrifying dreams of the underworld show Jonathan, the love of her life, imprisoned and tortured she seeks out Adair’s help. A journey of discovery and the power of love begins as she asks Adair for a favor. The tale that unfolds answered questions and held me spellbound as we traveled to the depths of the underworld.

Katsu has created the most unusual and dark characters yet she managed to make me fall in love with them all. Lanore or “Lanny” is such a complex woman. At times, she is selfish and others selfless. I enjoyed watching her grow throughout the series and understanding what she was and seeing her find happiness. Adair is a dark horse. Complicated, violent, insolent and yet Katsu exposes his vulnerabilities and desires. Through flashbacks, we get to know more about this strange complex man, and I thought it was brilliantly done. We see characters whom we met previously and Katsu manages to introduce a few new characters. I love that she fleshes them all out, and each adds depth to the tale. The interaction between Lanny and Adair was fascinating and intense. Their relationship is so complicated and to see it transform from darkness to light was spellbinding.

The Descent was decadent, and all of the questions and puzzle pieces fell into place. I love the direction that Katsu took with this final book. Her writing style is completely unique, and her words are like a melody that overcome me and pulls me into the story. The overall story arc of the series was well done. The darkest was The Taker, and I can remember setting it down a few times as if the words stung. It was dark and uncomfortable and yet I needed answers! The Reckoning shows us another side of Lanny and in the Descent we finally see her complete. Adair was a character I loathed from the beginning and skillfully Katsu peeled back his dark, rotten layers to reveal the man beneath. It was impressive. I could barely set this book down as the rest of the world slipped away. Fans of the series will be delighted.

Copy received in exchange for unbiased review​. ​Review​ originally published @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer​